E-Paper
2 Air Force pilots killed in Sukhoi Su-30 crash in Assam
The Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft had taken off from the Jorhat airbase on Thursday evening before losing contact with ground control.
Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots - Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar - were killed after a Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district during a training mission.
Confirming the deaths, the IAF said both officers sustained fatal injuries in the crash.
“The IAF acknowledges the loss of Sqn Ldr Anuj and Flt Lt Purvesh Duragkar, who sustained fatal injuries in the Su-30 crash. All personnel of the IAF express sincere condolences and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the Indian Air Force said in a statement.
The Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft had taken off from the Jorhat airbase on Thursday evening before losing contact with ground control. Defence officials earlier said communication with the Russian-origin fighter jet was lost at around 7.42 pm.
"An IAF Su-30 MKI is reported overdue. The aircraft had taken off from Jorhat, Assam and was last in contact at 7.42 pm. Further details are being ascertained. Search and Rescue mission has been initiated," said IAF.
The aircraft subsequently crashed in Karbi Anglong district, about 60 kilometres from Jorhat. Earlier reports had said the jet went missing shortly after take-off, prompting search and rescue operations to locate the aircraft and its two pilots.
Local residents reportedly heard a loud explosion-like sound near a remote hill area close to the Nilip block in Karbi Anglong around 7 pm. Some unverified images of the alleged crash site were also circulated on social media.
Speaking to ANI, a local stated that they saw the plane coming down in the evening yesterday." We heard a loud noise and an explosion... The police from the Chowki Wala police station are here. They are searching for him from the helicopter," he said.
The Su-30MKI is a two-seater multirole long-range fighter jet developed by Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi and built under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the IAF.
The Indian Air Force operates a fleet of more than 260 Su-30MKI jets. Previous accidents involving the aircraft include a crash in Nashik district of Maharashtra in June 2024 and another in January 2023 after taking off from the Gwalior airbase.
